


Guarded Heart

by Sinlesschick6



Series: Guarded Heart [2]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, F/M, M/M, Marks, Medium Burn, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Soul Bond, Souls marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-03
Updated: 2016-11-22
Packaged: 2018-08-28 19:49:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8460739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinlesschick6/pseuds/Sinlesschick6
Summary: A SoulMark AU The dead rising wasn't the only thing Rick Grimes had to get used to when he woke up from his nearly fatal gun shot wound. Because walking around an abandoned hospital, with only the strange groans and torn up bodies to welcome him wasn't crazy enough.





	1. Season 1

**Author's Note:**

> Unedited as usual.
> 
> Disclaimer- I do not own these characters or this show.

THWACK! It echoed like a gunshot

Rick shook. No. This isn't happening.

****************************************************************************

The dead rising wasn't the only thing Rick Grimes had to get used to when he woke up from his nearly fatal gun shot wound. Because walking around an abandoned hospital, with only the strange groans and torn up bodies to welcome him wasn't crazy enough. No, there was something else. He had marks, almost like tattoos, but not. They were hard to describe. But he had two small weapons on imprinted on his chest just slightly beside his gun shot wound, and one on the back of his hand. He didn't have much time to wonder why hospitals started tattooing their patients because of the end of days happening around him.

Seeing the torn up body that once was a woman was enough to stop him from thinking about it. Then seeing it move and groan, reaching for him as he picked up an abandoned bike made him completely forget. 

He was later reminded about it when he 'met', short for his being knocked out and tied to a bed by, Morgan Jones and his son, Duayne. They went on about how people would get bit, then sick, and then die. And that was just the beginning of it, because then they would rise from the dead and begin feasting on any living thing around. Rick wouldn't have believed it if it weren't for the fact that he'd already seen it. 

Morgan brought up the markings on his own. Talking about the walker that once was his wife and soul mate, Jenny, the same walker that was outside on the porch, trying to open the door. 

Rick asked what he'd meant by "soul mate" and Morgan pointed to his right hand. Specifically the strange marking on his hand. The other man explained that before the whole world became this mess, when it only just begun, everyone had woken up with various types of weapon marks on their hands and chests. He explained how some people knew right away what they were, and how he and his wife were a couple of those people. Because theirs matched. He had her marks on his hand that matched with the marks on her heart, and she had his. It seemed unbelievable at first, but what part of any of this was? The part that really got Rick was what had happened when his wife died. Morgan peeled back his sleeve, exposing his marred up marking that was now just a dark scribble of black, just faintly able to see what was there before. That's what was over his wife's heart. 

His chest mark, guarding his heart, his weapon, something he'd laughed about because he didn't quite get it, was a long staff.

When you die, your mark dies, it darkens and fades just like you. When your partner dies, your mark stays guarding your heart from the hurt you'll endure for the rest of your life. 

Rick believed Lori was his soul mate. He couldn't imagine it being anyone else, that's how he knew she was alive. Not just because only she would take their family photos of the walls in a crisis, but also because his marks were clear. He'd find her.

When he went back to kill that first walker. He'd noticed that both the mark on her hand and chest were completely blackened. They were faded by the sun, but definitely gone. Whoever's she was, had lost her, but at least they weren't out there looking for her. They were both dead, or both like this. Rotting. He shot her in the head. In hopes that maybe both souls could rest finally.

He'd screwed up going to the the city. He nearly died, torn up by the hoard of dead that roamed the streets. He got lucky though. Things seemed to go that way for him. Lose all hope, then luck would find him. Even if it kept repeating itself that way, he was grateful each time.

Glenn Rhee undoubtedly saved his life. The young man with a brain as his soul mates mark. He didn't know why, or how he managed it, but the kid did. And with that he owed him his life. After they made their escape and got out of the damned city, of course. If they lived.

One man was left behind, but they had made it out of there alive. The guy, Meryl, was an ass hole, but that didn't make him feel any less guilty.

All those thoughts vanished though when he stepped out of the truck and saw his wife and son. Nothing else mattered but running to them, and holding them in his arms. He cried, washing his worries away.

Later that night, as they kissed and touched and held each other like it was the first time in ages, Rick realized something. The mark on his hand did not match the one above her breast. And the mark on her hand, the shotgun, more specifically, the Mossberg 590 12 gauge shotgun- what he was a police officer, he knew his guns- did not match the small bloodied hatchet or Colt Python that was printed over his beating heart.

"It's okay. It doesn't matter. None of it matters, we don't even know what these mean. Except that you're back, that's all that matters. You're alive and you're here, and I love you." Lori told him when she caught him staring. 

He nodded in agreement, because this was still all so new. And she was right, how was he, anyone, even sure what the marks meant? 

But why did he feel so torn, and why did his wife seem so guilty?

He met Carol. The petit older woman with a shaved head, with her husband and young daughter about Carl's age. And bruises. On her arms and face, and probably in other places on her body. Lori mentioned that her mark didn't match her husband's, and that made him despise the things she did. Not that it was her fault. But they all reckoned he was abusing her long before the whole apocalypse began.

Daryl showed up, the man with a crossbow, a dozen squirrels, and a mark he chose to carve off. Even when it grew back. Rick and a few others put their lives at risk, even though he'd only just gotten back to his family, to go back to the city for his guns and Meryl, because Daryl wouldn't let them leave him. Knowing he was alive. Which brought back the guilt Rick felt. Especially when the younger man cried out, finding no sign of his brother, other than his hand, leaving his mark behind as well.

Then it seemed to happen so fast, they all packed up and headed to the CDC, in search of a cure, or at least answers, but instead finding out there really was no hope for humanity during this plague. Just like their goal, the building was blown up in their faces. Fortunately taking a good plenty of walkers with it. 

Then they ran. Heading anywhere, away, wherever. In search of something, anything, to give them hope. Rick wondered about his soul mate, out there, alive, surviving somewhere, just like him. Probably in the same boat as him. And maybe, just maybe thinking about him. Would they ever cross paths? 

Rick shook those thoughts away, he had Lori and Carl. His family. He needed to worry about them. Of course he wouldn't leave them for anything, he always has been and always would be faithful. But. He really couldn't fight the pull that maybe his soul truly was attached to another. It couldn't help to dream, could it?

*******************************************************************************

The weapon swung, the man cheered and hollered. Blood smacked his cheek and tricked down with his tears.


	2. Season 2

"Gah- Ma-Maggie." 

 

"I.... Will.... find you..."

 

SMACK! Glenn's blood spurt from his skull.

 

They all watched as one of the strongest of soul bonds was severed. Tortured. Destroyed. Broken. Glenn was murdered in front of them, and now Maggie was left without her soul mate. Without the one she loved more than anything.

 

 

*******************************************************************************

 

 

Glenn and Maggie, had somehow found each other in the mess of their time at the farm. Maggie bore Glenn's heart on her hand. And Glenn had her brains. Some very strange weapons if you didn't think about the meaning behind them. Glenn fought for what he believed in, what he loved, he fought with his heart. He didn't care about the risks he put himself into, not when he knew wholeheartedly that he could do more. That he could save more. Maggie with her brain, on the other hand. She was smart, in all areas. Whether it was something she knew, or an improvisation. She had a plan, stuck to it, went for it, and usually succeeded. But it wasn't just that they were their soul mark, but also each other. They complimented each other, and learned from the other. Both rubbing off some love and smarts. They truly were a match made in heaven. Who would have guessed this whole soul mark thing would happen, and actually seem possible. And what were the chances they would end up at the Greene farm.

 

 

All it took was a horde of walkers to split them up, resulting in Carol's daughter Sophia disappearing. Oh and Carl getting shot and nearly dying while they were out searching the forest for the girl.

 

 

The man who had shot Carl, who meant to shoot a deer, rushed the group to a farm. It was owned Hershel Greene, who was a veterinarian before the outbreak. He The mark on his hand has darkened, but looked worse than he'd seen on Morgan. Hershel's had dark veins spreading around it. Strange.

 

That's where Glenn met Maggie, Hershel's daughter. His eldest daughter, from his first marriage. 

 

The relationship between them started off rocky, with no help coming from her father, who didn't even want them on their property. But that wasn't going to stop them and their bond from strengthening. 

 

They over stayed their visit it seemed, but they still hadn't found Sophia. 

 

Then Rick found out about Lori's pregnancy that she was trying to get rid of. To spare him. But it didn't work. 

 

And then he found out the secrets. 

 

 

Shane was Lori's soul mate. Shane. His best friend Shane. The Mossberg 590 12 gauge shotgun was Shane. His wife finally told him that she had slept with his best friend, out of grief from when they had thought he died and because soul mates comforted each other in the darkest of days. He could understand her reasoning. It was a dark time for her. He couldn't blame her, no matter how much it hurt him.

 

But she swore the baby was Rick's. And he trusted her. And he loved her, so he forgave her. 

 

 

But it didn't stop him from wanting to hurt Shane. He clearly took advantage of her while she was in a weak state. He warned him off, their friendship broken.

 

 

Hershel had been endangering everyone's lives by keeping what used to be his loved ones, that were now walkers, in the barn because he believed they could be cure. Shane let them all free from the barn and the Atlanta group shot them down. The last walker was Sophia. Rick was forced to shoot her in the head while Daryl held onto the sobbing Carol. 

 

It's not until afterwards when Beth runs to the remains of her mother, that they find out they missed the walkers skull. Andrea makes quick work before Beth is bitten. 

 

The dark veins on Hershel seem to suck back into his dark mark once his wife's body is completely lifeless.

 

Very strange. 

 

 

 

When the time came, nothing stops Rick from killing Shane. But that wasn't because his wife was bound to him, it was because he was a growing threat to their group. He was defiant, dangerous and in the way. He wasn't part of the team. Rick didn't even know who that man was anymore. 

 

The blackened mark on his wife's hand doesn't ease the guilt he feels growing inside him.

 

 

***************************************************************

 

 

Maggie's voice, her gagging weeps, were heard above all others. Ringing in Rick's ear, like it was somehow aimed at him. 

 

Wasn't it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's short and I've been absent lately. I've been really really busy, not anymore though.   
> And it's short cuz I'm trying to get through the back story. I'm not huge on writing stories that are basically the show word for word kind of thing... I know you all watched the show, so it's like a recap but with the important things that lead up to now where I have juicy bits stirring.

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't originally going to write it this way, but my brain needed to give it a backstory. And of course when I do a backstory... I gotta go all the way back.  
> I also wasn't going to start it off by season, but I am. I already have part of the next chapter done.  
> I may go back and change things throughout continuing this, but I'll let you know in before notes if I went back and changed something or realized I forgot a big part.  
> I know where I'm going, it just may get me a little time to get there lol  
> It's plotty now, but I promise dialogue in later chapters


End file.
